The entrance to Sukiyabashi Jiro. Sukiyabashi Jiro is not only one of the best sushi restaurants in the world, it’s also one of the hardest to get into. The tiny Tokyo establishment was a destination of choice for Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during Obama’s visit back in April, and it was also featured prominently in the documentary, “Jiro Dreams Of Sushi,” inspiring sushi fans from around the world to seek out a seat at the counter. We spoke with three foodies who have traveled to the sushi mecca and eaten Chef Jiro Ono’s 20-course omakase menu, which costs around $US300, or 30,000 Japanese yen. Here is their best advice on getting a reservation at Sukiyabashi Jiro (all emphasis ours). When I went, booking was not especially difficult as such, but I had to go with a Japanese speaker (a friend who lives in Tokyo came with us, so that was not a problem). I had my friend who lives in Tokyo call and get some intel. I found out that they start taking reservations the first of the month, the month prior to when you want to go.

As I was going to be there in March, I would need to call on February 1st. So on February 1st Tokyo time, I had my native Japanese speaker friends mobilized to call — a couple people in Tokyo, and one in New York. The line was busy for FOUR DAYS. By the time they got through, of course all of March was booked. Of course, this made me even more determined to score a res. After a few other desperate attempts failed, I finally had my hotel concierge in Tokyo call. They got me in, but to the Roppongi branch, not the original one in Ginza. One of Jiro’s three flights of tuna, from lean to fatty. This is Chu-toro, or medium-fatty tuna. For Jiro, the official rule is that you should call in the first day of each month to reserve for next month’s seating. However, most people that I know who got reservations are through local Japanese people who know the restaurant well, or they have some industry connections. Concierges from prestigious hotels may be able to help, but not always.

Personally, I also have to book through a Japanese friend who is a regular here and so I can’t attest to the level of difficulty to book a seat at Jiro as a new customer, especially from overseas.sushi san francisco chinatown One thing I do know is that they only take phone reservations. where can you buy sushi suppliesIn both of my visits, I had seen people (foreigners and local Japanese) who tried to walk in to grab a seat either on the same day or for future, and they would immediately turn them down and tell them to call instead. sushi to go costa ricaSo don’t bother to think you can just go to the shop and make a reservation in person. where can i buy sushi grade salmon

They won’t allow it to happen. Hamaguri — clam — is lightly brushed with a sweet glaze. I’ve visited Sukiyabashi Jiro three times. The first time I visited in 2008, I called and made the reservation myself. sushi take out windsorI spoke to them in Japanese, and explained that I ate everything without exception. where to buy sushi grade fish near meI sensed reluctance on the phone. sushi in ottawa marketI made the reservation three weeks to the day. When I tried calling again in 2010 it was more difficult. There “wasn’t any availability.” I had the hotel concierge call and they were able to get three seats at the sushi counter. The same went for 2012. These reservations were made 3-4 weeks to date.

Foreigners who don’t speak Japanese are known as gaijin, and may have a hard time getting a reservation at Sukiybashi Jiro or being served once they do. Chef Ono doesn’t speak English and his son speaks very little, so bringing along someone who speaks fluent Japanese is not only highly recommended, but often necessary. Guests should also be aware that the meal may cost $US300 (or more, depending on the exchange rate), but will last no more than a half an hour. Chef Ono encourages a fast pace with each bite size piece of fish coming out every minute or so. “My last meal lasted 19 minutes,” Goldberg told us. “The meal never felt rushed, but each slice of fish is bite-sized and as soon as I took a bite there was another piece of fish waiting.” “The experience was worth it in 2008, but I no longer think it’s the best sushi in Tokyo,” Goldberg added. Hayler agreed, saying that while his meal at Sukiyabashi Jiro was “objectively good,” it still did not compare to other sushi restaurants in Tokyo such as Sushi Saito, Yoshitake, Mizutani, and Sawada.

And for those who love to Instagram their meals, feel free to bring along a camera. “The restaurant, and chef Ono, have evolved very much from 2008 to 2012,” Goldberg told Business Insider. “In 2008 photography was discouraged. In fact, I remember Chef Ono reminding me to ‘eat quickly’ because it would affect the texture and temperature of the fish and rice. In 2012, Chef Ono encouraged photography — even posing and smiling with guests.” Follow Business Insider Australia on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedInThere are many places in Tokyo where you can eat as much sushi as you like. Here are five recommended all-you-can-eat sushi restaurants in Tokyo. 1. Kagurazaka Sushi Academy Kagurazaka Sushi Academy is an all-you-can-eat sushi place that is currently drawing great attention in Tokyo. It is operated as a sushi restaurant that also doubles as a training ground for students enrolled at the Tokyo Sushi Academy, a vocational institution for aspiring sushi chefs, so it is able to control its personnel overhead expenses and offer its customers sushi with excellent value for your money.

Here, the all-you-can-eat sushi for 90 minutes costs 3,218 JPY (incl. tax), which you can pair with the all-you-can-drink service for an additional cost of 1,782 JPY (incl. tax). Every day, this restaurant uses ingredients fresh from the market that its chefs have carefully selected with their discerning eyes, so customers get to enjoy an assortment of more than 50 kinds of sushi, starting with chutoro (medium-fatty tuna), 20 or more ala carte dishes, and a variety of desserts. This restaurant is a popular spot, so it may be difficult to make a reservation, but you should try eating here at least once. Also, note that you may get fined for leftovers, so beware about ordering too much. 2. Midori Souhonten Umegaoka Honkan This sushi restaurant chain, which mainly operates in Tokyo, offers all-you-can-eat sushi at its Umegaoka Honkan store every Monday, except on holidays. Popular for their delicious sushi, such as sushi that use seasonal and high-class toppings delivered directly from Tsukiji Market, this restaurant is recommended for those who want to eat delicious sushi to their heart’s content.

Here, you can enjoy more than 100 items, including ala carte dishes and various kinds of sushi with toppings like anago (conger eel), one of their hit sushi items, and ootoro (fatty tuna), chutoro, uni (sea urchin) and awabi (abalone). The 90-minute all-you-can-eat service is priced at 3,600 JPY (excl. tax) for men and 3,000 JPY (excl. tax) for women. Add 1,200 JPY (excl. tax) and you can get an all-you-can-drink service, too. This restaurant does not accept reservations and you have to be willing to wait for 2-3 hours just to get seated. Despite that, though, you should check out this sushi joint. 3. Kizunasushi Shinjuku Kabukicho Branch Kizunasushi is open 24 hours a day (*all-you-can-eat sushi is only available from 11:00 am to 9:30 pm). It offers all-you-can-eat sushi service with 100 dishes, including various types of sushi that use the freshest ingredients that are delivered directly from Tateyama Port, as well non-sushi ala carte dishes such as edamame (steamed green soybeans) and deep-fried tuna neck.

Among the wide array of sushi available, the uni and chutoro are especially famous. All-you-can-eat sushi for 120 minutes here costs 3,980 JPY (excl. tax) for men and 3,480 JPY (excl. tax) for women, with two or more adults required to be able to order the service. You can add all-you-can-drink service at an additional cost of 1,500 JPY (excl. tax), while groups that are only comprised of women and children get free soft drinks. They also have menus in English, Chinese (simplified) and Korean, so this restaurant is recommended to those who want to relax while savoring high-class sushi. 4. Hina Sushi Nishi-Ginza Branch If you are looking for an all-you-can-eat restaurant in the Ginza area, then Hina Sushi is it! Here, you can enjoy the all-you-can-eat sushi service for 120 minutes at the price of 3,990 JPY (excl. tax). They have about 60 kinds of sushi hand-rolled by first-rate sushi chefs, from the staple sushi items such as uni, toro (tuna) and ikura (salted salmon roe), up to the seasonal sushi items that are characterized by their extraordinarily fresh toppings that are delivered directly from the port.

The chefs only put a small amount of vinegared rice on the sushi, so you can try and enjoy various kinds of sushi. There is an English menu and staff who can speak Chinese, thereby making ordering smooth. So, after shopping in Ginza, how about indulging in a luxurious break by relishing high-class sushi? 5. Tsukiji Tamasushi Ginza Core Branch Tsukiji Tamasushi is a sushi restaurant in Tokyo that is famous for its high-class all-you-can-eat sushi service, but you’d probably be surprised to know that they do not have a time limit for the buffet sushi. They have a unique pair service rates of 9,000 JPY for two men, 7,000 JPY for two women and 8,000 JPY for a man-and-woman pair. If there are more people in your party, you can just add 4,500 JPY for each man and 3,500 JPY for each woman (all prices are excluding taxes), so two or more guests are more than welcome here. There are more than 30 kinds of sushi that use ingredients delivered directly from Tsukiji Market and are rolled by the expert skills of its chefs.